Article feeding mechanism



' April 16, 1957 G. A. SWARTZ El AL ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM 3 SheetsSheet 1 Filed March 16, 1955 & INVENTORS.

O @myeAJh a I C karlayfldnilalzufilfflfiqy BY ATTORN'EY April 16, 1957 G. A. SWARTZ ET AL 2,738,882

ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM Filed March 16, 1955 a SheetsSheet 2 g s 2 M T h \0 b i ,TT. v 1 H TH & wm 3 ww @V o) \QN c United States Patent ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM George A. Swartz, Millington, and Charles M. Salfisberg,

Millburn, N. 3., assignors to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, N. .11, a corporation of Delaware Application March 16, 1955, Serial No. 494,785

10 Claims. (Cl. 198-30) The invention relates to means for feeding or conveying articles, and more particularly to improvements in packaging due to the novel feeding or conveying means.

In packaging articles, such as pharmaceutical tablets, which are relatively fragile, undue waste of product and loss of machine efficiency has been encountered because of chipping or breaking of the tablets. Chipped or broken tablets jam or clog the packaging machine, requiring the attending operator to correct the situation, with the consequent loss of production.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide improved means for feeding articles of the type under consideration so that chipping or breaking is very substantially reduced. As a corollary, the substantial reduction of chipped or broken tablets insures a steady and constant flow of the tablets through the packaging machine with an accompanying increase in efiiciency. Also, the packaged products are more uniform and of good quality.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a packaging machine embodying the novel article-feeding means of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, with the top cover broken away, of the article-feeding means;

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken approximately in the plane of line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View taken approximately in the plane of line 44 of Fig. 2; v Fig. 5 is a plan view of a pusher device for inserting the articles between packaging strips;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately in the planes of line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a partial end view of the machine taken from just forward of the nip of the packaging rollers shown in Fig. l and looking towards the right; and

Fig. 8 is a partial front elevational view of the packaging machine.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention, a machine is shown for packaging circular tablets A between two layers of heat-scalable packaging material B, although it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in machines for other types of articles and articles having other shapes.

The general assembly of the machine comprises a feeding or conveying mechanism C which separates the mass of tablets A into one or more rows or files, feeds the tablets to a delivery throat D through which the tablets are gravity-fed into the path of a pusher device E, the pusher device then transferring the tablets to a packaging station F.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the feeding mechanism C comprises a vibrator 10 mounted on the machine frame 12. An article-supporting plate 14 which extends longitudinally of the machine is fastened to an inclined base plate 16, which in turn is secured to spring arms 18 connected to the vibrator 10. The vibrator is preferably an 2,788,882 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 ice electrical or Syntron type, furnishing vibratory motion to the article-supporting plate 14 of relatively small amplitude in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate or horizontally, as distinguished from an up-and-down or vertical motion. A significant component of this vibratory motion is shown by the arrows x-x in Fig. 2, which indicates that the plate 14 is vibrated in a transverse direc- Thus, when the vibrator is turned on, as by the As shown in Fig. 2, a series of guide bars 24 are secured to the plate 14 by screws 26. The guide bars extend longitudinally of the plate, for approximately onethird the length of the plate, with their lower ends coincident with the lowermost edge of the plate, or adjacent the delivery throat D. The guide bars are arranged so that they are parallel to each other and spaced apart transversely of the plate a distance slightly greater than the diameter of a tablet A. Thus, the side walls of each pair of guide bars provide a guide channel 28 which allows the tablets to pass through in single file. Although three guide channels are shown, it will be apparent only one channel, or a pair of guide bars, need be provided. The increased number of channels obviously affords a greater productive capacity for the machine.

It has been found that tab-let chipping or breakage occurs most frequently at the entrance to the guide channels. It is at this point that jamming most frequently occurs to interrupt the steady flow of the tablets to the packaging station. To overcome this difliculty and to assure uninterrupted passage of the tablets through the machine, special feed channels 30 are provided which lead into the guide channels.

As shown in Fig. 2, each feed channel is preferably constructed so that it narrows down in Width from its entry end 32, which is wide enough to accept a plurality of tablets, to its delivery end 34 at the entrance to the guide channel 28, at which point the feed channel has the same width as the guide channel. Each feed channel is formed by the side walls of a pair of feed guides 36 and, of course, the underlying portion of the article-supporting plate 14, the feed guides being spaced apart transversely of the plate. Each feed guide 36 has one side wall in converging relation to one side wall of another feed guide, and as shown each feed guide has a generally triangular shape and tapers from its widest part, adjacent the upper end of a guide bar 24, to an apex at the entry end of a feed channel. The feed guides extend longitudinally of the plate 14 for another approximate one-third the plates length. However, whereas the guide bars 24 are fixedly secured to the plate 14, and any vibratory motion imparted to the plate results in the same motion being imparted to the guide channels 28, the feed guides 36 are mounted on the self-same plate 14 so that they may move with respect to and in a plane parallel to the plate. As will be immediately explained, the feed guides are mounted in a fashion which will result in the feed channels possessing a vibratory motion in a plurality of directions that are angularly related and different or out of phase from the vibratory motion of the guide channels or the article-supporting plate. 7

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, each feed guide 36 is preferably loosely and resiliently mounted at its wide end, or adjacent "a guide channel, on a pivot 38, preferably made of rubber or similar resilient material. The pivot is in the form of a headed bumper-like element having a headed portion 40 and a shank 42. The shank is press-fitted within an aperture of slightly smaller di f, amgter proyided in the plate 1 4 with the. headed portion restin gon the top surface of the plate. The feed guideis-provided with-an aperture 44 having a slightly larger diameter than the headed portion 40 of the pivot. The clearance between pivo t'head and the surround ng portions dr nrefred guidea erture allows the feed' guide a plate 14 in frontofthe entry ends '32 of the feed channels. The tablets may be supplied by hand or from some other suitable source; lW-he'n the tablets, as shown in Figf-Llenterithe feed channels-30, the vibratory motion imparted to-theiplate'-14, together with the action of gravity; causes thetablets to move downwardly or to the left. The feed'guides, of course, have mass or inertia,'and being movably' mounted on the plate, they will slidehorizon'tally-on the top surface of the vibrating plate, o'rlmovewith respectto the plate in different di 'rections' parallel and perpendicular to its top surface,

respectivelyi"'fhus, the *feedguides vibrate differently O'r'Tout' of phase'iwith respect 'tothe vibrating articlesupporting plate up'on which they are mounted. This separate and distinct vibratory motion of, or in, each feedchannelac'ts to constantly and gently agitate the tablets causing the tablets to progressively assume 'align-' ment into afsingle file before entering a guide channel. aresult, the tablets are prevented from breaking and jamming the entrance to the guide channels. The flow of tablets is smooth and continuous.

.In greater detail, and referring to Fig. 2, it will be notedthatsthet op ends of the guide bars 24 are concavely formed, whereas the adjacent wide ends of the feed guides 36 are matingly convexly formed and the. elements are onlyslightly spacedapart. In this way, continuity of feed and guide channels is maintained for smooth passage of the tablets; 'It will also .be observed that the pivots .38 of. each pair of feed guides 36 which form an individualrfeed channel 30 are longitudinally offset, and thatone feed guide is of slightly greater length than the other of a pair. ,It has been found that this arrangement of pivot offset and difierence in feed guide length, fprther aids in accelerating the smooth andcontinued moyement of the tablets into the guide channels.

As .-shown in Figs. 2 to 4, a cover plate 50.0f a'suitable-transparent. material, such as Lucite,,.maylbe disppsed to. clqsely, .overlie' the guide channels, feed channels and th upper supply portion of theplate 14. The pnovi'gled; with -a handle .52. so that the cover plat aybe -remoyed when desired. Bushings 54 are secured o theplate 14 and are rcceiYed with a loose fit W n apertures; 5 6 provided in the cover, plate. Also,

tqpprnrit 'd -l IJYh Q m y be ve off by the tablets tobege pvsd from the ;t. unp t p a 1.4. or the guidelchannels ZS, the plate is provided with holes hs i. ity .q the uide cha the 992 25 thro h them-a e in qa r y ,t-ablets h'aving ,bcen ,"cpnstaptly and rapidly-fed through the guide channels due'to the improved feeding mechanism described, they then pass to the delivery thrpat D which cpmpgises a block 62 provided .with vertical chutes 64, one for eachrow or ,file of tablets. As shawna n i s-.5, .a d: th ablets ar .g v vf down the chutes, and are-then deliveredto a lower level intosthe path of, the pusher device ,E. 'The pusher de- 9, asmme. panicul t yvshown in Bi 5, comprises U er platepd ,havingxlhtee spaced pusher fingers 68.

g'rsassa Th Push pla .6 is ounted o a 1 which, through a suitable linkage, is givena reciprocating motion in a horizontal plane, as indicated-by the dotted.

lines of Pig. 5. The tablets A are then transferred to the packaging station P, which in the example of packaging machine shown includes a pair of oppositely driven heated rollers 72, as shown in Fig. l. The rollers are provided with circumferentially spaced recesses '74 each of which is adapted to coincide or move in juxtaposition to one ot the recesses on the other roller ally shown in the patent to Salfisber'g 2.4431327; g antee June 15, 1948, and are. briefly describedhere for tn'e'pur pose of completeness; and to indicate an example of a packaging machine with'which the presentinvention maybe utilized.

.It is believed that the construction and operation of the described'fe'eding mechanism, as w'ellas'the 'a'dv'an tages thereof, wilbbe apparent from the foregoing "de It will also be apparentthabwhile tailed description. the invention has been shown and described'in its preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the'scope of the inventioh; as sought to be defined in the following claims. i

We claim: l. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined article-supporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of parallel guide bars spaced transversely of and secured to said plate'and'forming therewitha guide channel offixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of feed guides spaced transversely of the plate and each having one side wall in converging relation to one sidewall of the other feed guide to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel and leading into said guide channel, said feed guides being mounted on said plate for movement with respect to said plate in different and angularly related directions to its top surface, respectively, whereby upon vibration of the plate said plate and said feed guides "will vibrate separately.

2. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined article-supporting plate, meafisfor vibrating said plate'in a plane parallel to 'itsitop afar-tide; supporting surface, a pair :of parallel guide'barsfspace'd transversely of and secured tosaid plate'and'forming therewith a guide channel of fixed width for assageorthe' articles 'in single 'file, and a pair of feedguidc's spaced transversely of the plate and each having one sidew all' in converging relation to one side wall of the 'otherfe'd guide .to provide a feed channel'of narrowing widthfor delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feedchannel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel and leading into said guide channel, said feed guides being loosely mounted on said plate for limitedmovement with respect to said plate in different and angularly rel'ateddirections .to its top'surface, resp.ectively,wl1ereby"upon vibration of the. plate saidplatea'nd said feed guides will vibrate separately.

3. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined article-supporting plate, -means for vibrating said plate in a plane paralleltoits top or article-supporting surface, a pair of parallel :guidezb'ars a spaced transversely of and secured to said plate and forming therewith a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of feed guides :spaced transversely of the plate and each having one side wall in converging relation to one side wall of the other feed guide to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel and leading into said guide channel, said feed guides being pivotally mounted on said plate for limited movement with respect to said plate in a plane parallel to its top surface, whereby upon vibration of the plate said plate and said feed guides will vibrate separately.

4. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined article-supporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article- ;supporting surface, a pair of parallel guide bars spaced transversely of and secured to said plate and forming therewith a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of feed guides spaced transversely of the plate and each having one side wall in converging relation to one side wall of the other feed guide to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel and leading into said guide channel, said feed guides being loosely and resiliently pivoted on said plate for limited movement with respect to said plate in different and angularly related directions parallel to its top surface, respectively, whereby upon vibration of the plate said plate and said feed guides will vibrate separately.

5. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesupporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of :spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars se- =cured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being sub- :stantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, said feed guides being slidably mounted on said plate for limited movement in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate, whereby upon vibration of the plate said feed guides will vibrate separately.

6. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesupporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars secured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being substantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, said feed guides being pivoted on said plate at their wide ends for limited movement in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate, whereby upon vibration of the plate said feed guides will vibrate separately.

7. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesupporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane a a 6 7 parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars secured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being substantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, said feed guides being loosely and resiliently pivoted on said plate at their wide ends for limited movement in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate, whereby upon vibration of the plate said feed guides will vibrate separately.

8. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesnpporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars secured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being substantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, said feed guides being pivoted on said plate at their wide ends for limited movement in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate, whereby upon vibration of the plate said feed guides will vibrate separately, one of said feed guides being longer than the other, and the pivot of one being longitudinally ofiset from the pivot of the other.

9. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesupporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars secured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being substantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, a resilient pivot loosely connecting each of said feed guides to said plate, a pin secured to each of said feed guides and cooperating with an aperture in said plate to limit the amount of movement of each feed guide, whereby upon vibration of the plate said feed guides will vibrate separately in a plane parallel to the top surface of the plate.

10. A feeding mechanism for tablets or like articles comprising an inclined, longitudinally extending articlesupporting plate, means for vibrating said plate in a plane parallel to its top or article-supporting surface, a pair of spaced, parallel, longitudinally extending guide bars secured to said plate to provide a guide channel of fixed width for passage of the articles in single file, and a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending feed guides each in alignment with a guide bar, said feed guides being substantially triangular in shape and tapered from their wide ends adjacent said guide channel to provide a feed channel of narrowing width for delivering articles to said guide channel, the narrow or delivery end of said feed channel being of substantially the same width as the width of said guide channel, a resilient pivot loosely connecting each of said feed guides to said plate, a pin secured to each of 8 References Cited in file of this patent TBS WENT-IS? May 3.9 2%.

721,25 1,935, 5 IZZQQAQZI 2153 5 

